Motorsports Newsletter 6/23/23

By Richard Parks

1) EDITOR: I’m attempting to send a photograph. If it opens and you can see it the caption reads, “Hidden Pioneers visits the SEMA Education Program.” Left>right: Jerry Rangel, Epi Parks, Richard Parks, Zane Clark (SEMA VP), Scott Parks (tall guy) and Bill Montgomery (Founder of Hidden Pioneers).

2) Ed ‘Isky’ Iskenderian, AKA ‘The Camfather,’ will turn 102 on July 10, 2023. Celebration at the Lion’s Museum on July 15, 2023.

3) Ladies and select gentlemen… Attached in a zip file are some pix from that glorious night at the Petersen Automotive Museum (PAM) heralding the pioneering driving accomplishments of Ms Paula Murphy. It was an honor and a sheer pleasure to share such a tribute with ALL of you! Please download & open the pix to be sure each transmitted properly as I will be archiving the folder soon. Most helpful: if you have shots you would like to share with Paula and friends, please email to me and I will distribute accordingly. All of the images (Paula Toast is by Tracy Lehr) you see here are a kind courtesy of Albert Wong – if you use them online, please offer up a credit line. LandSpeed Louise Ann Noeth
READERS: For the ZIP which I couldn’t duplicate contact LandSpeed at louise.

4) I’d love to have you mention my work, ‘THEN … and NOW,’ in your newsletter. I think it will be a very valuable addition to drag strip history, especially for those strips that have been completely obliterated from the landscape due to development, neglect, etc. I’ve finished 44% of the states including California, Alabama, Arizona, Hawaii, Oregon, Wisconsin, Minnesota, etc. Basically, the states with the least drag strips with a smattering of states with larger numbers of closed strips. Now the progress will be slower. I’ll leave Texas to the last as it had the most strips–by far. Mel Bashore, www.dragstriplist.com.

5) Segerstrom Shelby Event Center Car Show & complimentary Coffee. Open to all makes and models. Registration not required. July 2, 2023, 7:30 AM – 9:30 AM. Address: 5 Whatney, Irvine, California 92681 info.
READERS: The Hidden Pioneers toured the Segerstrom Shelby Event Center and Shelby Museum along with Hillbank Automotive Center in Irvine, California and saw the awesome display of Shelby cars. Rae Segerstrom was there to greet us and answer all our questions. The staff is super friendly and courteous and welcome questions. There are gas pump and globes adorning the walls and visual movies on the history of the Shelby Cobra and Carroll Shelby’s life. It is also a child friendly environment with things for the kids to do and see. This makes a fun outing for families that have a few hours free and want to leave their kids with a bit of colorful history. Next door is Hillbank Motors, distributor for Cobras and they welcome guests for a quick view of their showroom floor and repair shop. The Hillbank staff is as friendly as the Segerstrom Shelby Event Center people. This is a two-to-three-hour quick tour that you will enjoy alone or with friends and family.
The Hidden Pioneers are motorsports enthusiasts who promote vocational education in our public Junior High and High Schools and labs regarding Space, Technology and Transportation. Led by Bill Montgomery the Hidden Pioneers visit schools, shows and other events to promote Youth Education. We have met with SEMA, NHRA and educators. Members include Ed Iskenderian, Jerry Rangel, Wally, Scott and Richard Parks and many others. If you would like to participate, please let me know.

6) October 22, 2023 (Pomona drag strip, CA) In-N-Out Burger 75th Anniversary Festival. October 31-November 3, 2023, Las Vegas SEMA trade show. semashow.com. November 9, 2023, Pomona, California NHRA Yes Program. 2022 NHRA YES Program – YouTube. Hidden Pioneers will participate.

7) Thank You so Very Much for the History on Bud Meyer, Vic Enyart and the Many, Many OTHER People that BUILT THE RACING WORLD we have today. The articles you sent were AMAZING and Included SO MUCH HISTORY. I am Just a Regular Guy, I met BUD thru Vic, I somehow came to Know Vic to have some Machine work done for an Engine that I was Building. It was a Pontiac OHC 6, It had Cam Wear Problems and Vic was helping Me it to convert to a Roller Cam and Followers. (Almost ALL Overhead Cam Engines of that Era had a Severe CAM and FOLLOWER Wear Problems, I guess that the Engineers Just had Not gotten the Metallurgy Quite Figured Out Yet.) The Best and Most Fun Car I ever Owned in My Life was a 1967 Firebird OHC 6 Sprint 6, 3 Speed, It was VERY Quick for a 6 Cylinder. I LOVED THE OHC 6 ENGINE SO MUCH, I have Collected Many over the Years, (23 to be Exact) Mainly to Keep them from JUST BEING JUNKED. It Outperformed Most cars of that era and Really Shocked Many V8 Guys when they could not beat it on the Streets. Here is a Link to the Engine I bought from Vic, He got it from Bud and HE Modified it Masterfully, The Block has the 3 Studs on its Left Side from where Bud Mounted his Home Made Scavenge Pumps, it MAY BE Bud’s Last Incarnation of his Last OHC 6 Race Engine? https://www.geocities.ws/ohcjhatch/ohc.htm I bought this Engine from Vic, but due to Family Financial Obligations with 3 Daughters and a Wife and Being a Retired Military Guy, I just Could NOT Justify Spending so much MONEY Racing it, So it has Been in Storage Since I got it from Vic, I AM SAD TO SAY! THANK YOU SO MUCH for the History, I wish I could Have Been there too. John Hatch
JOHN: You’re welcome. I’ve added you to my motorsports newsletter and you just might get another response from someone that knows Vic, Bud or the others.

8) I have been in contact with John Hatch and was able to give him a few photos of the Bud Meyer OHC Pontiac 6 in my roadster at both Muroc and Bonneville in 1996. Vic Enyart and I were partners for just one year with the engine in my car. It never reached its full potential as something happened to it at Bonneville. Vic kept the notes on the engine, but I wrote and kept notes on every run like I normally do and gave a copy to John. Vic made many improvements to the engine after he received it. I don’t remember them all. Vic and I worked together for a time and that’s how/why the partnership happened. If you’ve ever seen the Huell Howser’s California’s Gold episode on the Reunion at Muroc; Huell interviews my son Patrick Tone strapped in the car as he was about to make his pass on Sunday. The Pontiac was in the roadster at the time. JD Tone

9) CARS YEAH podcast this week by Mark Greene featured, a) Rick Barnett – The Concours at Pasadera, b) Ryan Fielding – Ring Brothers, c) William Walker – Author, and d) Taeler Coverdale – Restoration. Mark Greene can be reached at mark, or Cars Yeah, 4618 131st St Ct NW, Gig Harbor, Washington 98332.

10) I sincerely appreciate the time you took to visit SEMA today and share your thoughts. It was a pleasure meeting you and the family. A lot to digest. Here’s to progress and keeping our industry strong. Cheers. Zane Clark, CAE Vice President, Membership/Education/Research/ Councils & Networks SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association).
ZANE: Thank you for your graciousness and time spent with Bill Montgomery, my wife Epi, and son Scott Parks, Jerry Rangel and myself. We learned a great deal. As the media changes we have to keep up and the more that we learn the better we are able to assist others. We hope to see you again at a future event. Richard Parks
READERS: The purpose for the meeting with SEMA is the promotion of vocational education courses and labs in Junior High and High School with emphasis on technology, science, automotive, transportation and space. The Hidden Pioneers present included my wife, son, Jerry Rangel, Bill Montgomery and SEMA’s Zane Clark. By the time students reach college the dropout rate is so high that America’s future science and technology students have lost faith and have dropped out of school or go on to meaningless jobs. The United States is falling further and further behind other nations in developing a future for the majority of our young people. Hidden Pioneers, led by Bill Montgomery, is trying to do something about this horrible situation. Please help the Hidden Pioneers at HiddenPioneers.

11) Winning the 2023 NHRA Nostalgia Nationals at Bowling Green, Kentucky was Robbie Freels in a 29-Year-Old Hal Canode drag car chassis, June 17, 2023. Hal Canode hcanode.

12) I started Motorsports Journal many years ago with older software. I am changing Motorsports Journal to a newer site with more functionality and adding our podcast to it, but I have to find a new host to build it up again. Stefan Pagnani
EDITOR: If anyone is interested in hosting this podcast contact Stefan at spagnani.

13) Don Smith sent in this update from DRAGZINE: Small-tire no-prep racer Steven Little’s daughter Hadley (about 3 years old) became internet-famous after a recent viral photo of her backing up her father’s car at the ‘War in the Woods’ event. Callies announces celebration of life for late founder Rick Norton. Paige Coughlin makes her ‘No Prep Kings’ debut. Erica Enders returns to winning form with Bristol Victory.

14) EV BATTERY TECH SHOW/ EXPO • EV Future Tech Show/Expo builds on future technology by introducing the Battery side of Vehicles by including the EV Battery Tech Show/Expo in its exhibits. • EV Battery Tech show exhibits and conferences will bring together the battery industry, engineers/business leaders/innovators to discover ground-breaking battery technology throughout the world. EV Battery Tech Show (spagnani.

15) Speedway Motors Museum of American Speed announcing news, archives, events and more. New displays: AMBR & Ridler winners through time. The Big T now on display. 599 Oak Creek Drive, Lincoln, Nebraska 68528. museumstaff.

16) “DRIVEN TO CRIME: TRUE STORIES OF WRONGDOING IN MOTOR RACING,” by Crispian Besley. Drugs: Ian Burgess (sometime British F1 racer); Randy Lanier (drug-smuggling IMSA champion); John Paul Sr and John Paul Jr (talented son dragged into a racing father’s drug-running); Vic Lee (super-successful team owner with a dodgy transporter); the Whittington Brothers (more misdeeds in IMSA circles). Evro Publishing books are distributed in North America by Quarto Publishing Group USA. Books can be ordered from Quarto by email: sales; phone number: 800-328-0590; or website: jvstropus

17) Very tragic, was at a very popular annual event, Detroit Dragway Reunion. An early generation funny car, backing up after burnout, suddenly accelerated backwards, hitting a spectator, who happened to be the driver’s grandfather, who died. It’s my home track, need better control of spectators in the burnout areas. Only crew for actual cars should be there, but huge crowd hard to control. This will probably bring more security henceforth. Sad because new ownership is doing a fantastic job upgrading the facilities. The track itself is brand new, and awesome. Thank you, Michael Kunzman, mikek.
DON AND MIKE: Drag racing is one of the safest motorsports. Our condolences to the family. We learn and we improve.

18) Raceline Radio Network anchor and Canadian Motorsport Hall of Famer Erik Tomas will once again team up with Bruce Mehlenbacher, a fellow Canadian Motorsport Hall of Famer, Raceline Radio Network co-founder, and Pro Modified Racing Association (PMRA) principal. Mehlenbacher will be a featured guest on the Raceline Radio Network broadcast, heard coast-to-coast across Canada, the week of June 18, 2023. Erik Tomas, Erik.

19) Royce Rumsey just published “Mission Control.” A trinity of Don Nichols’ renowned collection graces the La Purisima Mission. Space program enthusiasts are readily familiar with the likes of Werner Von Braun, Wally Schirra, and Chris Kraft. And true NASA cognoscenti also know the name, Don Nichols.
Royce Rumsey just published “Renascent Racing, Redux.” As an homage to the nascent days of speed trials the original T.R.O.G. events took place on the beaches of Wildwood, New Jersey and Pismo, California. Then in late 2022 T.R.O.G. followed the formal history of drag racing’s official birth on June 19, 1950, at the Santa Ana Airport by holding their annual event nearby (about 50miles away) at the historic Flabob Airport adjacent to Riverside, California.
Royce Rumsey just published “CSE9.” After being very impressed by Jeff Littrel’s beautifully built 220kW E9 at a recent photoshoot I called Kyle Van Hoften to see if he’d be interested in the car for the (then upcoming) BMW gathering at Lyon Air Museum. To see these beautiful photographs and short stories contact Royce at roycer924_2.

20) Would appreciate a mention for CMA Planners, that is the #1 event planner in Las Vegas. Terri & her company can handle all your events for SEMA week, she does a great job. Contact her at 702-896-9386. Thanks. Don Smith (SEMA Hall of Fame member).
DON: We can’t say no, so here’s the mention. Be sure to give FIRST and LAST names; that helps us out.

21) Terry Cook’s “I WAS THERE: Bench Racing Tales from the 60’s & 70’s.” Volume II Don Garlits on flying saucers, God and politics, ‘Hand Grenade’ Harry with tales from the Pond, Sal Fish, John Force, Jocko Johnson, Malcolm Bricklin, the Surfers, the Prince of Monaco, Danny Thompson, Bill ‘Maverick’ Golden, Connie Swingle, ‘Wild Bill’ Shrewsberry, Emmerson Fittipaldi, test pilot Darryll Greenamyer and Chris ‘the Greek’ Karamesines. Volume II ISBN: 978-1-7358046-1-3 $23.95 delahayeusa.

22) The following information was sent in by Ronnie Mankins
Wally Parks NHRA Nostalgia Nationals Thursday Wally Parks NHRA Nostalgia Nationals Thursday – YouTube
Wally Parks NHRA Nostalgia Nationals Friday Wally Parks NHRA Nostalgia Nationals Friday – YouTube
Wally Parks NHRA Nostalgia Nationals Saturday Wally Parks NHRA Nostalgia Nationals Saturday – YouTube
Wally Parks NHRA Nostalgia Nationals, Beech Bend Raceway, Bowling Green, Kentucky.

23) 14th annual Vail Concours. September 15-17, 2023, automotive enthusiasts will gather in scenic Vail, Colorado for three days of driving, cars and social events culminating in the Vail Concours on Sunday. Registration at www.VailConcours.com, Vail Automotive Classic, PO Box 111, Edwards, CO 81632.

24) E AEROSPACE TECH SHOW/EXPO. E Aerospace Tech Show/Expo will be an Electric & Hybrid experience new to the future towards the Aerospace technologies including everything from high-tech small aircraft through ultra-modern air mobility with companies that are investing in the future business of the Aerospace marketplace. E Aerospace Tech Show (spagnani.

25) Canadians who have competed in the Quick 32 Sportsman Series in the past and have signed on for the Empire Dragway shows include Stratford’s Kevin and Kayden Wicke, with their Top Sportsman (TS) entry, and Diane Thiffeault of Timmins with her Top Dragster (TD). They will be joined by Tony Positano of North York (TD), Bob Robinson of Stratford (TS), Jeff Gable, also of Stratford (TS), Dave Burchell of Guelph (TS), Wes Goddard, also of Guelph (TS), and Luke DeJong of Puslinch (TS). There are also more than twenty US-based teams ready to do battle at Empire Dragway. Bruce F. Mehlenbacher, Pro Modified Racing Association (PMRA), Bruce.

26) Should the Editor be inducted into the Wally Parks Hall of Fame? For various reasons, the most obvious one being all the biographical and historical information he has compiled to keep the spirit of drag racing relevant in a modern world. Can you pass the word of my nomination to the powers that be? Anna ‘Octane’ Marco
ANNA: Against my wishes the Dry Lakes Racing Hall of Fame in Buellton, California has already honored me. They also honored my brother (posthumously) and my father, and we appreciated their thoughtfulness. Hall of Fame’s are opposed to the spirit of hot rodding where we are all equal; we just have different talents. The Museum has “sort of” closed down the Hall of Fame, leaving it up to the Don Garlits Drag Racing Museum Hall of Fame. I like the concept of HONOREES, and not HALL OF FAMES. Honorees are simply those being honored, but a Hall of Fame denotes superiority of one person over another. Let people brag about ability, wins and numbers, but for me Hall of Fames are difficult if not impossible to hold without there being excessive politicking and arguments. I do support such institutions and wish them all well. For me, the answer is NO.

27) I have a great deal of respect for all who attended the meeting at SEMA on Friday. The work put in at the High Schools was well worth it to understand what is going on and what changes need to take place. We can help with that and the sooner the better for our country. I will put a plan in place this week on how we can start the process for changing the Culture & image. Blessings with Godspeed. Please watch this Charter communications video before my NASA contact and Ken Block’s Sudden Death! Charter Local Edition with Bill Montgomery, Marketing Team – Prime Motivation – YouTube
CSI Bill Montgomery (Founder of Hidden Pioneers)
BILL: It is indeed a pleasure to work with you. High Schools need more vocational training, especially in Math, Space, Science, Technology and Transportation. Let’s do it.

28) The Automotive Aftermarket Charitable Foundation (AACF) has been helping aftermarket families turn tragedy into triumph since 1959. Like the industry, AACF is driven by passion and devoted to family. It’s tough to ask for help, but when someone in the aftermarket family faces profound circumstances, AACF is there to help put the tough times in the rearview mirror. As a nonprofit, AACF accomplishes its mission through the support of generous donors, awareness partners and dedicated volunteers. To learn more, visit www.AftermarketCharity.org. To donate, visit www.AftermarketCharity.org/donate. To apply for help, visit www.AftermarketCharity.org/get-help. Don Smith
AND

Celebrate With Hall of Fame Inductees Steve Ames, John Iannotte and Mitch Williams. SEMA invites all industry members to the SEMA Leaders & Legends Gala, in Anaheim, California, July 21, 2023. Secure tickets today!

29) The Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum from the beginning. Wally Parks envisioned a museum as THE place to view and learn about hot rods, customs, race cars, and speed records, and discover the stories of the people who made them possible. Since 1998, the Museum has been a separate organization with its own governing Board of Directors who direct the Museum’s vision, purpose, and activities. The Museum is an independent California non-profit 501(c)(3) educational and cultural organization. The Museum’s collection includes dragsters, land speed vehicles, race cars, customs, hot rods and a changing array of one-of-a-kind vehicles that tell the story of American hot rodding. We are located in a historic Art Deco style exposition building on the grounds of the Los Angeles County Fairplex, which is also home to In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip. The National Hot Rod Association has had a continuous presence here since its very first event, the Southern California Championships, were held at this drag strip on an April weekend in 1953. Today, the NHRA hosts the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals and concludes the season with the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals. The Museum is open year-round and features thirty-thousand square feet of permanent and changing exhibitions. As you explore this site, you’ll find more information on a variety of programs and events we present throughout the year, including our Wally Parks NHRA Nostalgia Nationals presented by Holley event at Beech Bend Raceway, and the Wally Parks NHRA Nostalgia Nationals event at Famoso Dragstrip. Pat Wright, Museum Director